


Love and Pain (only for the foolish)

by bythegraceandglory



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst, Chat is in love with Ladybug, Drabble, F/M, I still hate pining but am writing this anyway, Song Lyrics, aged-up, inspired by a song, pre-reveal
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-11
Updated: 2020-08-12
Packaged: 2021-03-06 09:16:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25847206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bythegraceandglory/pseuds/bythegraceandglory
Summary: Chat thinks about his impossible love for his Lady as they look out onto the moonlit Seine.Inspired by "Temporary Heroes" by Pat Benatar
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Kudos: 18





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> “Temporary Heroes” by Pat Benatar is one of my favorite songs ever! The lyrics are sad and heartbreaking and angsty, but it's also fast and upbeat and it’s one of those songs you can sing and dance to when you’re happy or when your life is falling apart. So, here is my attempt to write a fic inspired by it.

Chat stared at his lady out of the corner of his eye, careful not to let her notice him staring. She leaned her forearms on the balcony railing and looked out onto the moonlit Seine. She was radiant in the pale moonlight. She _always_ was.

Chat thought back to the first time they had met, all those years ago. She had been so scared and unsure, but she had still risen up to save the day. She was determined and brave despite having no idea what she was doing and he had been in love with her ever since.

He had tried to move on, he really had. He even thought he had a few times. There were a few moments when he had been dating other girls, but when they inevitably broke up, it was always Ladybug who captured his heart again. 

He knew it was wrong. She was his partner. They had a duty to Paris. It would be foolish to forget that. They couldn’t act on feelings alone, even if that’s what he did best. 

Still, he wondered what it would be like to be with her in that way. He wondered what it would be like to take her out to dates, to laugh with her outside of the mask. He would compliment her on her beauty, but also her bravery. At the end of the dates, he would kiss her hand and immediately text her after to let her know he was still thinking about her. He would to run his fingers through her hair and have her sigh into him as he pressed his lips to hers. 

“Chaton,” Ladybug said, softly, pulling him out of his daydreams. “Is everything alright?”

Crap, he'd been caught. Chat stared at her a moment longer, trying to think of what to say. _No, everything’s not okay. I'm in love with you still and there won’t ever be a day I don’t think about you_. “Yes,” he whispered, instead. “Just thinking.”

“You can tell me anything, you know?” she gave him a strange smile. Maybe he was just imagining it, but he thought he could see a sadness in her eyes.

“I know.” _Just not this._ He couldn’t tell her how he felt. It would just break both of their hearts.

“Good. You’re my partner and best friend. I l- I care about you more than anyone else in the world.”

“I feel the same way, my Lady,” Chat whispered.

Ladybug wrapped an arm around his waist and leaned her head on his shoulder. She took a deep breath in, breathing in the night air of Paris, and relaxed against him. For the second time that night, Chat found himself mesmerized by his partner and by the feeling of her body against his. 

Hesitantly, Chat tilted his head so it was rested on top of hers on top of his shoulders. When she didn’t stiffen or push him back, he let himself relax into her touch. Chat looked at the Seine below him, glittering in the moonlight. He ignored the urge to press a kiss to her crown.

They were the heroes of Paris. Their love could never be acted on, not as long as they had a duty. He'd hide his feelings and, someday, find a way to move on from her, leaving his love for Ladybug to be nothing but a sad memory. It might break his heart, but at least he would always have his lady. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 1 from Ladybug's POV

Ladybug stared out into the dark water of the Seine. It was lovely out tonight, signs of autumn just beginning to appear in the trees, but not yet in the warm night air. It was made even lovelier, by the man standing beside her.

In the beginning of their partnership, his flirting had annoyed her. As time went on, she began to see Chat Noir in a different light. He was kind and caring and brave. He was the type of guy she would be proud to introduce to her parents.

She had tried not to fall in love with him, she really had. First there had been her crush on Adrien, though that had eventually made way for a close friendship. Then there had been Luka and a few other dates here and there. But her heart knew what it wanted in the end and had pulled her back to Chat Noir over and over again. 

She looked over to him and caught him staring at her. The look in his eyes made her shiver. Was that desire? Or love? She’d take either.

But she knew that she couldn’t. She was a hero. She had a duty to Paris. If what Bunnyx had said was true, she had many more years of fighting ahead of her. She couldn’t let herself get distracted by love. And she couldn’t risk her partnership with Chat, even though she desperately wanted to know what it would be like to let Chat love her. She wanted to know where he would take her on their first date. Would he take the bill when her back was turned or would they fight until the agreed to split it evenly? Would he take her home and kiss her hand goodnight or would she drag him upstairs with her to end the night in a much different way? She would love to know how he would kiss her; with adoration or force or a mixture of both?

But she couldn’t think like that.

“Chaton. Is everything alright?” she asked. She’d turn the attention to him. That would be fine.

He took a moment before answering. “Yes. Just thinking.” 

“You can tell me anything, you know?” she whispered. She tried to keep the melancholy off her eyes. She secretly hoped that he was thinking of _her_ , but that type of thinking would take her nowhere. It was foolish to let her heart believe that they could be anything more than just partners. After all, she had turned him down many times before. Why should he hold out for her?

“I know.” There was a sort of tension in his words that made her heart stutter. She’d just pretend she didn’t notice.

“Good. You’re my partner and best friend. I l-” _Crap._ Was she going to say ‘love’? That wouldn’t do. “I care about you more than anyone else in the world,” she amended.

“I feel the same way, my Lady,” Chat whispered. 

She couldn’t stop the need to be close to him, to see what his body would feel like against hers. She settled for wrapping an arm around his waist. Platonic enough that she could deny anything she felt, but still satisfying the part of her that longed to feel his warmth. She leaned her head on his shoulder and took a deep breath in, relishing the contact, even if it could only be for a few moments. 

Chat remained stiff beside her, but eventually rested his head on top of hers. It felt so natural to be with him like this, like they fit together like puzzle pieces, like they _belonged_ together.

She knew that if she told him the truth of her feelings, he would insist that they could be together. They would be careful and work at things. They wouldn’t let their feelings get in the way of their duty. But could they really make promises like that? What if a villain found out and their love was used against each other? She couldn't ever forget Chat Blanc, a future in which their love only brought distruction and pain. Unless she wanted them to both get hurt, she would have to hide the love she felt for him. 

Paris would sleep easy knowing that Chat Noir and Ladybug were looking out over them, even if Ladybug got none, fretting about the life she could never have with the boy she loved. 

**Author's Note:**

> Link to the song for those who are interested: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIfihA-PQM4  
> Other good songs by Pat Benatar: Heartbreaker, We Belong, We Live for Love


End file.
